Electrically-operated elevator-door control



June s 1926. 1,588,007

F. F. BRUSH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED ELEVATOR DO OR CONTROL 215122,19A Fg 2o grrE ,u .5.... ....n n 4 Tref/Veys June 8 1926. 1,588,007 F. F. BRUSH ELECTRICALLY OPERA''ED ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL Filed May 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED; s'rAf'res PATENT oFFrc EL FREDERICK F. BRUSHy or losl Attentes,Y cALironnIA, Assenon 'ro ELEVAT'GR SAFETY APPLIANCE COMPANY, A coRPoRA'rroN or CALIFORNIA.

, .c ELEcTRmALLY-OPERATED Application filed May 22,

My present invention being referred to as an electric elevator door control, it ivili he understood that the nature ot the power einployed to elieet the movement of the elevator car immaterial to .my invention, my novelontrol, rather than the elevator to which it may lie applied, being essentially electric or elecho-magnetic inv character.

It Ais an object ojif this invention to pr vide simple and eileetive. means ohviating the necessity of providing; a separate door operatingv motor in connection with each doorI leading' into an elevator shaft; and l herein provide means whereby one motor, with suital'ile electric and mechanicalconnections, may heso used, il' mounted at the top ot an elevator shaft orV where suitable space and a secure foundation can be providedv` as to operate any one of a vertical series of doors i and it is a merit ol the design herein described, that, lalthough permitting nevel features ot interlocking control, the C referred to avoids the use of a n'iultiplicity i ot relatively movable and Wearing; parts Z5 heretofore associated with each door, and it ,frrcatly simplilies all incidental proble-,ins ot luln'ication. y

llt is a primary object otvthis invention to provide means 'for rendering the operation of the liitingr mechanism. and the door operatingl mechanism of an elevator interdependent, in a manner and to a dec-:ree iavora'ole to the avoidance of accidents; and, in one advantageous.embodiment of my inventi on,'lniay en'iploy, in addition to usual or preferred means for handling' an elevator' car, and in connection with the several l'loor doorsy ot same, novel and eiiective electromagnetic means whereby the mentioned single door motor, Whether located at the head ot' a shaft or elsewhere, may, hy reciplocating a lever and associated partsj operate, at will? any one of an entire series of doors opposite any one ot yvvhieh seid cer may. alternatively be positioned.

,For lthe purposelast reierred o. l may connect the nticned lever` or rs eqnivaf lent, with a .glie Wire or cahle or other re ciproealile transmission elem f. preferably in th' torni ot an endless lle. le loop movf ahle opposite all of the doors in a series; and l mav associate With tl e parts referreel to, or eener equivalent, :toning and interlocking means permitting the mentioned ELEVATGR-DOOR CONTROL.

1924. Serial No. 715,047.

door motor to he operated only when a car is Within a prescribed Zone opposite a lloor er on ina predetermined sequence with the open ig or closing of an elevator circuit7 r erinittggf the mentioned eeqnentialoperation only in case the required circuits are properly energized at the n'ioment when such operations are to be initiated. l

It lreing one imeortant object ot my invention to provide in ans permitting' a door to he Opriedonly when a car is suitably positioned re..ativeiy thereto, my mentioned. fr uns may comprise an over-balanc ingr carrying' a switch in a door control .t ind movable hy means comprisine a constantly-energized electro-magnet operatively connected YWith said lever and (lll ill

m dei-.ricevreferred to being preferably" intereoimected with the completion ot a g p movement incidental to the. nn,- nipnlaton oi a doonand the mentioned gripping movement'being ellectec electromagijnetie means.

@ne operation of the mentioned interlock optionally oe effected oy gravity acton a cam bar and so controlled by a -locli that an automatic remaking of an e e'vator circuit can lieetl'ected only in ease c rezt norma flowing; in a grippere 'i .ircnit/ and means may moreover he i rded Whe-relay, a car has once 1reen lire .gilt into a zone or posit-ion permit i. el :or to he opened, and door-openinj moven'xent has lie-en started, no mere change in the load upon said car can be effective automatically to hrealr the circuit by Which .le n'ientioned door-operating motor may be lVith some repetition, important electromechanical features of my present invention may be stated as follows: (l) when my Zoning switch is closed, manual operation may energize the coil of a magnetic actuator' such as the gripper-cam operating an interlock and energizing a motor; and, before the motor opens a doorj it may duplicate contacts adapted to maintain a circuit through the coil of said gripper-cam in order to assure immunity from the results of any untimely opening of a Zoning` switch in case acable stretches or contracts by reason of change in car load; (2) the energizing of my gripper-cam is a first and master action effected by an operator; and this promptly opens the elevator circuit; (3) the magnetic gripper-cam must first elleet a gripping action, and onlyin completion of its gripping action can it be effective to operate the interlock and to start motor to open a do r, (e) when the single motor starts to open any doorD it first cuts out the elevator circuit; and if the magnetic cam burns out during' operation, a cam lock maintains the cam bar in elevated position, and elevator circuit open, regardless of the position of any other switch in the same circuit.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a door-operating mechanism permitting easy manual manipulation of any door by a qualified operator inside a car opposite the same; and it is a further object to provide means whereby each door may be automatically and securely locked against unauthorized manipulation from the outside.

My mentioned interlocking means may be adapted to permit the starting of a car only in case the door opposite a car is completely closed; and the respective doors may not only be positively held against unauthorized opening, but normally self-closed by the action of gravity.

In one advantageous embodiment of my invention, l may employ means for imparting to an elevator door, upon the closing of a. circuit including the door motor, a horizontal motion Which may be practically harmonic; and l may optionally interpose, at some convenient point Within the n'iechanical t 1ain by which the rotary motion of said motor is converted into a hai-annue motion in aV horinontal direction, a spring switch adapted, by opening a circuit. toi'stop the closing of a door. in case of au accidental or delil'ierate interference with its closing movement.

Other objects of my avcntion, including novel door operatingy and locking means, will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, and from the appended claims? taken in connection With the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is an ele rational vien showing the interior of an elevator shaft containing a car and showing parts of a door operating mea-ns comprising an overhead motor.

Fig. 2 is a View of a single elevator door, and parts associated therewith, as seen from the inside of an elevator shaft.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through an elevator car, this view being talien substnanv tially in a plane indicated by the line Smil of Fig. AI.

Fig. Ll is a fragmentary horizontal sectional vievv, such as might be taken on the line elm/1l, of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing an alternative type of electro-magnetic gripping means.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sect-ion through a car and a set of elevator doors.

Figs. i' and 8 are vertical sections showing details of an electro-magnetic zoning device hereinafter referred to.

Fig. 9 is an elevational detail vieu* show ing specific features of my mentioned niagnetic gripper-cam operating an interlocking` device, and a shiftor cam-lock associated therewith.

Figs. l() and 1l are respectively plan and elevational views of a spring switch hereinafter referred to and optionally employed automatically to break a circuit to stop my door motor.

Fig'. l2 is a wiring diagram, parts preferably mounted on a car being shou'n to the right of the line Eff-X.

Referring to the details of that specilie embodiment of my invention chosen for purposes of illustration, and mentioning first the general relationships between the major elements cor'iprised in my novel organization. l may be an elevator shaft Within which a car 2 is movable, doors being provided at each. of the resoective flo-ors opposite which said car may stop.

Referring nov.Y to certain mechanical or electro-*medianical devices suitable for einA bodiment in a complete installation illustratingmy invention, each of the mentioned doors may be movable by means of a driving bar 41, whose outer end may be pivolally connected at thereto, and Whose inner end may be pivol'ally connected at (3 to a cross head 7, shown slidably mounted for veri cal n'iovenient upon e. tired rod ti, Whose ends may be rigidly secured, as by bra l ts fl, 1). above and below the mentioned door. y

lt .vill be understooi'l that a verl ical morelnent of the cross head 7, or its eouivulenl'. may be effective completelj,Y to open or close an elo 'ator door, and that a more release of the cross head T, after the, same shall have been elevated, may he effective automaticallv to clos a door. t will also he obvious that. when the parts are related in the a manner indicated in Fig. 2, althouhi the construction is such as to permit of a manna nu mi) opening of a door Iby the lifting of a cross head 7, the normal horizontal position of a driving bar 4, automatically taken when a door is closed, is such as effectively to lock the door against unauthorized opening, the mentioned operating parts being inaccessible from the outside.

Suitably to support the cross head 7, or its equivalent, in the position referred to, I may optionally employ means such a spring 9; and, to lubricate the rod 12, I may optionally employ a Wiper retained in the position 'indicated by a dotted line at 10; and I may optionally deliver oil to this Wiper by means such as a cup 11, supported upon the spring 9.

Although the described door operating mechanism might be advantageously employed in connection with any preferred means for elevating the cross head 7, instead of mounting such means on a car I consider it advantageous to employ for this purpose means comprising an overhead motor, a reciprocable transmission element movable thereby, and electro-magnetic means coinprising a clutch or gripper' for connecting said reciprocable transmitting element with a cross head 7 in such manner as to impart to the latter element an upward or downward movement suitable to the opening or closing of a door.

Although the mentioned reciprocable transmission element might alternatively be a rod or chain, I have suggested, in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the employment of a wire or cable 12, which may be endless and may be supported upon fixed pulleys 13, 3', or their equivalents, and may be pivotally connected, as at 14, to a lever 15, or its equivalent, movable directly or indirectly by any suitable motor, such as an 'electric motor M confined within a suitable housing 1G, atthe top of an elevator shaft, or Wherever suitable room and support may be provided therefor.

'It being recognized as advantageous to iinpart to an elevator or other door a harmonic or substantially harmonic opening or closing motion, I consider it advantageous to provide the mentioned motor with transmission means comprising a cam 17, adaptied to reciprocate a rod orbar 18, shown as having a pin-andslot connection at 19 with the 4mentioned lever 15, the conguraticn of the cam V17 being preferably such as initialiy to impart a comparatively slow but powerful movement to a door' connected as herein described, the final portion of the stroke being also comparatively slow. and the middle portion thereof being greatly accelerated.

In order to connect the cross head 7 at will with a reciprocable transmission element such as the wire or cable 12, eXtending throughout an elevator shaft, I prefer ,Y to employ electro-inagnetic means in a circuit or branch which may be entirely distinct from that by which the lifting of an elevator car or the descent thereof may be effected or controlled; and my herein illustrated means for the purpose referred to comprises an electro-magnet N S, having poles N. and S and serving both for the mentioned gripping effect and for a camming effect hereinafter referred to, this electron'iagnetl being energized by a cam helix C H, which may be Wholly or partially confined Within a housing 20, slidably mounted upon a post upon the car 2; and, in order to facilitate the free movement of this housing upon the mentioned post, the latter may advantageously be made hollow to receive a counteriveight 22, shown as connected with said housing by a cord 23, extending over a pulley 2l. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the post and associated parts referred to may advantageously be confined Within a separate compartment formed by a partition 25; and the electro-magnet referred to may be rigidly connected With any suitable gripping element such as a jaw 2G, adapted, upon the energizing of said magnet, to cooperate, in the gripping of the reciprocable transmission element 12, with a corresponding jaw 27, integral or associated with a cross head 7; and each of the mentioned jaws may advantageously be provided With a serrated or roughened gripping surface of brass or other non-magnetic ma.- terial,a magnetic gap being preferably maintained, in order to obviate any delay in release, such as might result from a direct Contact of magnetic materials.

An alternative form of gripping device, in which the pole pieces of an electro-mag net engage a tongs-like gripping device comprising a pivoted vjaw 26 and a fixed jaw 27 is shown in Fig. 5, this construction being' illustrated merely to point out the possibility of employing the principle of the lever in assuring a .firm grip upon a, vcire or cable 12, for the purposes re ferred to` As mentioned, the el otro-magnet N S may be utilized not only for the gripping ot' ,a reciprocable transmission element but also for a camming etlect in the control of 7 i an interlocking device by which a proper sequential opening and closing of elevator and door-control circuits may be assured. For example, I may provide the mentioned electro-magnet with a projecting member such as the pin 28, adapted to serve as Cain engaging cam bar 29, shoivn as pivotally suppi'irted by parallel links 30, 31, in such manner that the gripping movement of said electro-magnet shall be incidentally effective to move the cam bar 29 toward the adjacent ivall of an elevator shaft. thereby lifting and advancing said bar sulfieiently to operate an interlocking device of the character illustrated in Fig. 9. This interiiD locking device is shawn as comprising a pair ot fixed contacts 32, 82, in a relay branch circuit r, fr', hereinafter referred to, and second pair of contacts 33, 33 in an elevator circuit c, c, a single circuit closing element 8a', upon a. lever S5, being shown as connected (by a link 86, pivoted to the cam bar 29) in such manner as to malte connection alternatively with either of the mentioned pairs of contacts. 1n order to prevent an automatic closing of the elevator circuit c, c', by the acti-on or gravity (in case of a burn-out in the coil C H) upon the cam bar 29, Il may employ means such the cam loch C L; and 1 may interpose, in the mentioned circuit c, c, means such as the locking coil L C serving as an electro-magnet to withdraw the arm 37 ot cam loclt C L from engagement with a cooperating projection 38 upon the lever 35,- the weight or the overbalancing arm 39 being such as to retain the arm 3i" in its engaging position. and the circuit including contacts 32, 32 closed, except when the coil L C is energized.

ln order to permit of the energizing et' the cam helic C H (employed, as above described, to energize an actuator to operate both my gripping mechanism and my interlocking device) only when a car is suitably positioned opposite a door, i may einploy means such as are illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. At any suit-able point, as near the iront ot the bottom of a car, 1 may support a zoning switch magnet or electromagnet Z M, whose helix may be constantly enerOized by a circuit e, e", the said electro-magnet being shown as pivotally mounted at l0 in such manner that the action of gravity upon the arm il and the zoning switch ,7 S carried thereby may be effective normally to hold said switch in its open position and out of engagement with the contacts a2, 42', by which a circuit c, through the magnetic cam helix C l-l, may be closed. To etect a closing oit the zoning switch Z S whena car is suitably positioned at a floor level, '1 may provide, at each floor level, instead of an actual magnet or electro-magnet, a. more permealiile element such as an iron plate adapted to attract the magnet or electro-magnet Z M or an armature 44e, rendered magnetic by the continuous supply oi current through the mentioned circuit e, e. By such a construction as l have described, it will be o''ivious that a zoning switch may be automaticaly closed at each floor level and otherwise held open.

n order to prevent the complete closing ot a door which maybe held open by the entrapping or" a passenger therein, or as a result of any other accidental or deliberate act, l consider it advantageous to provide automatic means for interrupting the circuit to the door operating motor M whenever the acm4 closing movement of the lever l5, or its equivalent, shall encounter exceptional resistance; and in Figs. and ll, 1 have shown means for the purpose referred to comprising a rod 45, to which the lever is pivotally connected at 46, this rod being shown as slidably mounted upon brackets al?, i8 and provided with a circuit closing element in the form ont a spring-closed switch S S, controlling a relay circuit 7 c hereinat'ter referred to, by which the flow of current to the motor M may be controlled. A s shown, a spring i9 may be effective normally to close a gap between the contacts 50,

My elevator circuit c, e is intended to include not only the terminals 33, 33', adapted to be normally connected by the action of gravity upon the cam bar 29 (Fig. 9) ,and to be opened by the closing of a circuit through my magnetic gripper-cam, or its equivalent, but also an automatic elevator switch A E S, this switch being so constructed and positioned that it may be immediately opened upon the starting of the motor M, to open a door,-as by engagement of .a projecting portion 51 of the rod 18, in the general manner diagrammatically suggested in Fig. l.

ln connection with any or all ot the novel appliances above rei-'erred to, er their equivalents, 1 may employ usual or preferred types of manual control devices interposed respectively in the elevator circuit c, c and in any suitable branches or a door-control circuit d, cZ, within which the various mentioned electro-mechanical devices may be suitably interposed.

As ybest shown in the wiring diagram constituting Fig. 12, my door control circuit d, ci may advantageously be divided into branches including a relay circuit i", i, a cam and gripper circuit c, c and a motor circuit m, m', in addition to the mentioned branch e, e serving to energizing the zoning electro-magnet Z M; and although my motor M may b-e of any preferred type, 1 have suggested the employment of a motor provided not only with a series iield S F, but also with a shunt iield S l-l li in a separate branch circuit f, f of the circuit CZ, d. To provide for suitable control oiE l.the motor M by manual control means such as are indicated within the dotted line M C, 1 may include, in parallel branches of the relay circuit i, 7', an opening relay 0 R in a branch 1 o, and a closing relay C R in a branchi c, the opening relay O lt being adapted, when energized, to move a switch 0 S into a position closing a branch circuit m 0 of the motor circuit m, m and thereby cause a flow of current through the motor M in such a direction as to effect a doorclosing movement, and the closing relay C R being interposed in the second branch 1^ c of the circuit i", 7" in such manner as,

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when energized, to move the circuit clos' ing element of the switch C S into a position favorable to a flow of current through the motor M in an opposite direction, to effeet a closing of an elevator door.

' Y 4e the operation oi the openrcferred to with the cam helix C H, .ii-d manual control device la! C with a manual relay closing switch M t C S, brought into circuit closing position by a movement of the controller in one dii etion, and with a manual relay opening switch M It C S, closed by a movement in an opposite direction, the latter movement bein-g` incidentally effective to close also a manual cam switch M C S in the mentioned circuit c, c by which the magnetic cam helix C H may be energized to etlect a gripping of Wire or cable l2 and a shift of my interlock.

To provide for automatic repetition or shifting of contacts by means supplemental to those described, and in order that no mere stretching or contraction of cable due to a change of load shall ever be effective., through the operation of a zoning switch, to deenergize my magnetic gripper-cam or actuator, I may provide, in a branch c a of the circuit c, c an automatic cam switch A C S, adaptedv to be closed, by the'door opening operation of the motor M, immediately after said motor has automatically opened the mentioned switch A E S in the elevator circuit e, e, and I may interpose an automatic relay openinO switch A R C S and an automatic relay closing switch A R' C S respectively in the mentioned branches 1' o, and r c of the relay circuit r, r, these last mentioned switches being so positioned as to be serially opened and closed by the further door opening movement of the motor M.

My above described elevator door control is especially suitable for use in connection with a single motor placed at the top of an elevator shaft; but it Will be obvious that certain features of my invention are capable of advantageous use quite regardless of the position of the single motor required for the manipulation of all doors of a series, and regardless of Whether this motor be secured upon a iixed or upon a movable foundation.

Although I have herein described one complete embodiment of my invention, it Will be understood that various features thereof might be independently employed, and also that various modifications might be made, Without the slightest departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, as the same is indicated above and in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an elevator organization comprising a car and a plurality of doors at different licor levels and each provided With a drivng bar, the combination of: a single door motor, a vertically reciprocable motiontrai'ismitUA element movable therefrom, and means tor connecting one of said doordriving bars at will to said reciprocable element, said means comprising 'a vvs adapted bly gi'ip said reciprocable element. Lanimation as set forth in claim .iticn ot: electro-magnetic conmeans, comprising parts movably mounted on said car, for inhibiting the operation ot' said motor except when said car is stopperu at a suitable level relatively to a iioor.

3, In an organization as set forth in claim l, the combination of: connecting means comprising an electro-magnetic gripper and nieans for energizing the same from said car.

4f. In means for operating a plurality of elevator doors, the combination of: movable dri rring and self-locking bars pivotally connected to said doors, a vertically reciprocable transmission element extending opposite said doors, and means for operatively connecting any one of said bars with said reci procable element, said means comprising jaivs adapted to releasably grip said reciprocable element.

5.V In an elevator organization, the combination of: an elevator circuit, a door-motor control circuit, and interlocking means comprising a magnetic cam for breaking one of said circuits and subsequently closing a branch of the other of said circuits.

(i. In an elevator organization comprising a movable car and separate doors, selflocking driving bars extending across said doors and each having one of its ends pivoted to one side of a door and its opposite end pivoted to a vertically movable crosshead.

7. In an organization as described in claim 4, an overhead electric motor, motion transmitting means extending opposite all doors, and converting means for imparting therefrom substantially harmonic motion to a door.

8. In an organization as described in claim 5, means for preventing a failure of currentenergizing said magnetic cam after a door opening movement has been initiated.

9. In an organization as described in claim 5, a cam helix Whose energization is effective both to grip a motion-transmitting element and to open an elevator circuit.

l0. In an organization as described in claim 5, electro-magnetic gripping means operatively connected with a cam for moving an interlock controlling a relay circuit.

l1. In a system for the electrical control of elevators and elevator doors, the combination of: an elevator circuit, a door-control circuit, interlocking circuit control means between said circuits, and means for preventing the shifting of said interlocking means, under the action of' gravity, when one ot said circuits is burned out.

12. In a system for the electrical lcontrol or' elevators and elevator doors, the coinbination of: a door-control circuit, manual means for closing said circuit, a motor operatively connected with means for transmitting movement to any ot said doors and provided with means ior successively opening an elevator circuitJ and closing a magnetic cam circuit.

13. In a system as described in claim 12, means whereby the continued operation of said motor may open one motor-control circuit, and thereafter close another motorcontrol circuit.

14. 1n an organization as described in claim l2, the combination of: means whereby the initiation 01"' the mentioned movements may depend upon the suitablev positioning of an elevator car at a Hoor level.

15. ln an organization as described, in claim 12, means for maintaining a circuit controlling the tlow of current to said motor open whenever a door is prevented from closing.

16. ln an electric control for an elevator, an elevator circuit, a magnetic actuator circuit, an interlock capable ot gravity restoration and gravity means for locking said resaca? interlock against operation in the absence of current in said magnetic actuator circuit.

17. In an electric control for elevator doors, a magnetic actuator on a car, and means `for opening a door upon the energizing of said actuator and an interlock mounted on the car and adapted to be actuated by said actuator.

18.111 an organization as described in claim 1i', means for energizing a door-opening motor upon the energizing of said actuator.

19. ln an organization as described in claim 17, means whereby, upon the deenergizing of said actuator, a door may be closed either by a motor or by gravity means.

20. In an electric elevator door control, a zoning switch and manual control means on a car, a magnetic actuator energized by said manual control, and means for maintaining a current established by said magnetic actuator regardless of a subsequent automatic opening of said zoning switch.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 14th day of May, 1924.

FREDERICK F. BRUSH.

ISO

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,588,007, granted J une 8,1926, upon the applioation of Frederick F. Brush, of Los Angeles, California, for an 4improvement in Electrically-Operated Elevator-Door Controls, errors appear 1n the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 5, line 108, claim 7, strike out the Worcl overhead@ page 6, line 22, claim 15, strike out the comma; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may Conform to the record of they case in the Patent Oitice.

Signed and sealed this 20th clay of July, A. l). 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commz'ssz'oner of Pate/nts.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,588,007, granted June 8, 1926, upon the application of Frederick F. Brush, of Los Angeles, California, for en .improvement in Electrically-Operated Elevator-Door Controls, errors appear 1n the printed specieation requiring correction as follo-Wss: Page 5, line 108, claim 7 strike out the Word overhead page 6, line 22, claim 15, strike out the comma; `and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections' therein that the same may conform to the reco-rd of the ease in the Patent Otlice.

Signed and sealed this 20th day o July, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

' l Acting Gommissiofrwr of Patmts.` 

